VCE Media
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ExploreAbout this exam
VCE Media is a Victorian Certificate of Education study, accredited from 2024, covering Units 1–4 in media. The accreditation period from 2024 is stated on the VCAA Media study page, where the VCE Media Study Design sets out areas of study, outcomes and assessment for Units 1–4 from 2024. The study is intended for Victorian senior secondary students undertaking the VCE, and it combines school-based assessment with an external written examination. School-based assessment includes a School-assessed Task (SAT), with assessment criteria, task scope, authentication and record forms described in the administrative information document. External assessment for the study is a written examination; VCAA publishes examination specifications and a sample written examination, and past examinations with external assessment reports for 2024 and 2025 relating to the current study design. Preparation should centre on the current study design and the examination specifications, then on the sample written examination and the most recent examinations and reports, which show how the examination is structured and where students commonly lose marks. Note that examinations from 2018 to 2023 relate to previous study designs and are not necessarily a guide to the current examination. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the VCAA.
What you'll study
About VCE Media preparation
What format is the VCE Media examination?
It is a written examination. VCAA publishes examination specifications and a sample written examination for the study, and the past examinations page lists the VCE Media examination papers and external assessment reports. Use the specifications and sample paper to understand the structure rather than relying on memory of older papers.
Which past examinations are relevant to the current study design?
VCAA lists the 2025 and 2024 VCE Media examinations and their external assessment reports as relating to the current study design. The page warns that examinations from 2018 to 2023 relate to previous study designs and are not necessarily a guide to the current VCE examination for this study.
Is there a sample examination and how current is it?
Yes. VCAA provides a Sample written examination (Version 2, May 2024) alongside the Examination specifications (Version 2, March 2025). Check that you are using the current versions, because both documents carry version numbers and dates that indicate revisions.
How is the School-assessed Task assessed?
VCAA publishes VCE Media: Administrative Information for School-based Assessment, which details the School-assessed Task assessment criteria, the nature and scope of the task, authentication, authentication record forms and the assessment sheet. Your school applies these requirements, so read that document rather than relying on second-hand summaries.
How long is the examination and how many marks is it worth?
The source material does not state a duration, mark allocation or contribution to the study score. Those details belong in the current examination specifications and the study design, so confirm them there before planning your exam timing or revision schedule.
Can I retake the examination if I am unhappy with my result?
The source material does not describe a retake or repeat policy for the VCE Media examination. Ask your school's VCE coordinator about options, and check VCAA's administrative guidance, because rules on repeating a study are handled outside the Media subject pages.
What should I study first?
Start with the VCE Media Study Design for Units 1–4 from 2024, then the examination specifications. After that, work through the sample written examination and the 2024 and 2025 examinations with their external assessment reports, which show what assessors expected and where responses fell short.
What are common ways students lose marks?
A frequent problem is preparing from superseded material: VCAA states that 2018 to 2023 examinations are not necessarily a guide to the current examination. Another is ignoring the external assessment reports, which explain how responses were assessed. Use current documents and read the reports alongside the papers.
Where can I find official updates about the examination?
The VCAA Media pages under VCE Study Designs and under Examination specifications, past examinations and examination reports are the official sources. The study design page also links support materials, assessment advice and contact details for the Curriculum Manager.